Soup Kitchen readying for Thanksgiving
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on November 18, 2007 2:06 AM
Plans are just about complete for Thursday's Thanksgiving feast at the Community Soup Kitchen, but director Doricia Benton isn't worried about making sure there is enough to make ends meet for the holiday spread.
That's the way it is at the soup kitchen. When you need something, it just kind of appears, she said.
"It happens every day. We'll need something to finish out our meal for the day and it comes," Ms. Benton said. "We were talking this morning about how we didn't have any coleslaw for our fish, and an hour before the door opened (for lunch), coleslaw came to the door to go with our fish and chips. I tell you. There are angels all around this place."
Friday's meal of fish and chips came from a cooler of fish St. Paul United Methodist Church donated from its Nov. 3 fish fry. The french fries also were donated.
So residents who get the urge to share a little food with the needy this Thanksgiving shouldn't hesitate to bring their donation to West Oak Street.
It might be just what that day's meal needs.
Ms. Benton and several volunteers will start cooking about 10 turkeys Monday for Thursday's dinner.
Donations have been rolling in for the feast. Goldsboro Milling donated six of the birds.
Between the phone calls and deliveries of money and canned goods, about four donations are coming in every day.
Ms. Benton said that's a lot when you consider the soup kitchen operates for only four and a half hours a day from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ms. Benton is very particular about her Thanksgiving lunch guests. The soup kitchen always needs more food and money through the year, but she wants Thanksgiving to be special.
"The rest of us have an opportunity to go to several places on Thanksgiving Day. (The diners at the Soup Kitchen) just have one -- this one. So we're going to prepare some home plates so they can have a nighttime meal, too.," she said.
Ms. Benton and the volunteers will prepare the feast for about 70 people.
And the soup kitchen will not just stick to the traditional fare, which will include turkey, stuffing, two vegetables and pies for dessert.
If ham comes in the door, she said they will prepare that, too.
"We're just going to have a big spread," Ms. Benton said.
Lunch will be served on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to noon.
To donate to the soup kitchen for Thanksgiving, Christmas or beyond, call 731-3939.